422107

Can Humic Extracts and Bacillus megaterium boost Sugar Beet Productivity in a Saline-Sodic Soil?

Article

Last updated: 27 Apr 2025

Subjects

-

Tags

Soil degradation control, remediation and reclamation

Abstract

SOIL salinization is one of the major threats that hinder crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Due to water scarcity therein, the biological approach could be the optimum solution of soil reclamation. Thus, the current study investigated the impacts of applying humic substances, namely potassium humate (KH), humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA), solely or in combination with P-dissolving bacteria (Bacillus megaterium) to augment sugar beet growth and production in a saline-sodic soil. Also, it assessed changes in soil characteristics by the end of the experimental period in order to evaluate how effectiveness was this strategy for soil reclamation. A field experiment was therefore conducted for two successive seasons, comprising 9 treatments (all received the recommended P-rate, but in different sources): CaH2PO4 (T1), H3PO4 (T2), rock phosphate(RP)+KH (T3), RP+HA (T4), RP+FA (T5), RP+B. megaterium (T6), RP+B. megaterium+KH (T7), PRP+B. megaterium+ HA (T8), RP +B. megaterium+FA (T9). Results revealed that there were no significant variations detected in SPAD among treatments after 80 days of planting (DAP); yet, SPAD in all treatments surpassed the control after 170 DAP. Also, shoot and tuber yields of sugar beet increased significantly; yet combined treatments (T7-T9) were not as efficient as single ones in this concern (T3-T6). In particular, the highest increases in straw-yield were recorded for T3, while the highest corresponding increases in tuber yield were for T2, T4 and T6. In case of proline, it level increased significantly in all treatments versus the control. This component was positively correlated with all growth parameters and yield components, even with soil organic matter (SOM). Additionally, proline and SOM were both positively correlated with P-available content in soil and its distribution within plants. Root secretions likely increased under stress to (1) increase the activities of soil biota as denoted by the increasing dehydrogenase activities, and in particular enhanced P-dissolving bacteria, increasing P availability in soil. (2) Their byproducts build up soil organic matter (dehydrogenase activity was positively correlated with SOM). Moreover, (3), these organics formed aggregates that decreased soil bulk density (BD). There existed positive correlations between BD and each of EC and ESP. Thus, using either humic-extracts or P-dissolving bacteria could be a suitable strategy to increase sugar beet production in saline-sodic soils while significantly decreasing soil EC and ESP. However, even after two growing seasons, the soil remained saline. Thus, it is necessary to test the the long-term efficiency of these reclamation methods to ensure its effectiveness and sustainability, while also considering economic benefits

DOI

10.21608/ejss.2025.360554.2001

Keywords

proline, soil organic matter, soil ESP, Soil EC, Soil bulk density, phosphoric acid

Authors

First Name

Dalia

Last Name

El-Atrony

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Soils, Water and Environment Research Institute (SWERI), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt

Email

dalyasmyralatrwny@gmail.com

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Ihab

Last Name

Farid

MiddleName

Mohamed

Affiliation

Soils and water department, Agriculture Faculty, Benha University

Email

ehab.farid@fagr.bu.edu.eg

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Mohamed

Last Name

El-Ghozoli

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Soils, Water and Environment Research Institute (SWERI), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt

Email

prof.mohamedelghozoli22@gmail.com

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Mohamed

Last Name

Abbas

MiddleName

H.H.

Affiliation

Benha University, Faculty of Agriculture, Soils and Water department

Email

mohamed.abbas@fagr.bu.edu.eg

City

Benha

Orcid

0000-0002-1905-1241

Volume

65

Article Issue

2

Related Issue

51050

Issue Date

2025-06-01

Receive Date

2025-02-14

Publish Date

2025-06-01

Print ISSN

0302-6701

Online ISSN

2357-0369

Link

https://ejss.journals.ekb.eg/article_422107.html

Detail API

http://journals.ekb.eg?_action=service&article_code=422107

Order

11

Type

Original Article

Type Code

19

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Egyptian Journal of Soil Science

Publication Link

https://ejss.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Can Humic Extracts and Bacillus megaterium boost Sugar Beet Productivity in a Saline-Sodic Soil?

Details

Type

Article

Created At

27 Apr 2025